NT Parliament erupted into a public mud-slinging match on Wednesday afternoon, with politicians from both major political parties throwing their past indiscretions and scandals at one another during debate about “improving integrity in Parliament”.
CLP Government ran ‘misleading’ radio ads promoting Territory Coordinator: Auditor-General
The Finocchiaro CLP Government misled the public with taxpayer-funded radio ads promoting its Territory Coordinator position, the Auditor-General has found, which were carried out to promote “party political” ends and included misleading statements in breach of legislation.
CLP’s ‘half-arsed’ NT lobbyist register condemned by national integrity body
The CLP Government’s new lobbyist register will not require ministers to publicly disclose who they meet with and will exempt major lobbyists, including gas companies fracking the Beetaloo Basin and other corporate firms that donate to political parties, from needing to be on the register, which a national public integrity body says is “just not right”.
Minister admits ‘perceived’ conflict of interest, pledges to disclose private jet brunch as calls for action mount
CLP Education Minister Jo Hersey says she will now disclose the gift of a free luxury jet flight to a boozy brunch paid for by a wealthy Katherine businesswoman, after breaching the Disclosures Act by failing to report the gift, with the Opposition calling for the Minister to be reprimanded for flouting NT disclosure laws on multiple occasions.
CLP Minister’s luxury private jet trip to high tea at Hilton revealed
EXCLUSIVE: CLP Education Minister Jo Hersey took a luxury private jet between Katherine and Darwin to attend a boozy, “bottomless” high tea at the Hilton Garden Inn Darwin in early December, but she claims no taxpayer money was expended despite posting photos of the jaunt on her government-funded social media account, which comes as the Minister was also caught out misleading Territorians about her disclosable interests.
CLP, Labor won’t rule out inquiry into $60M IEPS fraud scandal
The CLP Government and the Labor Opposition have not ruled out supporting independent MLA Justine Davis’s calls for a parliamentary inquiry into the rorting of a government Indigenous employment scheme that saw an estimated $60 million fraudulently obtained by up to 146 Territory contractors.
CLP open up $15 billion debt ceiling amid fiscal pressures
The CLP Government will plunge the Territory into further debt rather than find necessary cost savings of $450 million a year, with Treasurer Bill Yan proclaiming the move “responsible action to repair the budget”.
Treasurer to kick off travelling economy roadshow through NT, with opening act the Under Treasurer
Treasurer Bill Yan is taking the crumbling Territory economy on the road through the NT next week – with special guest Under Treasurer Tim McManus – in an effort to explain to Territorians how the CLP Finocchiaro Government is planning “to fix the economic mess”.
Katie Woolf’s husband lands plum CLP Government-appointed gig
Patrick Bellot, a local real estate agent and husband of Mix 104.9 radio personality Katie Woolf, has been appointed chair of the Darwin Waterfront Corporation through a mysterious hiring process that does not appear to have been publicly advertised.
CLP Minister kept Telstra shares amid party election pledge to fully divest
CLP Education Minister Jo Hersey says she is now in the process of divesting her shares in telecommunications giant Telstra, despite pledges from the CLP in February amid Labor’s shares scandal that all its MLAs’ shares would be divested “to show Territorians that we are ready to take government”.
Chief Minister backs corrupt cops as evidence of serious misconduct mounts
Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro has committed to taking no action against five senior police officers who lied to the court about their involvement in the racist TRG awards, despite evidence the joint investigation by the ICAC and NT Police executive failed to properly review the officers’ criminal conduct.
NT pollies gifted $8,200 annual raise in middle of cost of living crisis
The Territory’s politicians have quietly been given an early Christmas present in the form of an $8,200 annual pay rise as of January 1 – bringing their base salaries to $175,000, plus benefits and expense accounts – while ministers will see their pay packet increase by nearly $14,000 a year.